It's easy to defend the sinfully calorific Haleem. Firstly, people who fast the whole day are better off not thinking about the gazillions of fat molecules that their bodies have to digest later. Secondly, the fact that, in this age of broccoli, zucchini, and other vegetables that the local vendors shun with all their
shuddh desi hearts, people still get excited about meat (most goat meat) cooked in bucketfuls of ghee, indicates that all's right with the world.
Therefore, following this line of deduction, we can safely conclude that the humble Haleem fights the monstrosity called Hunger, and restores World Peace, every single day. It's Superman, disguised as a dish.
The Haleem was introduced to the city of Nizams during the reign of the sixth Nizam, Mahabub Ali Khan, and by the time his successor, Mir Osman Ali Khan, had inherited the regal robes, Haleem was an integral part of Hyderabadi cuisine.
And the PR expert behind Haleem's newfound fame was a cook in the seventh Nizam's kitchen called Saif Nawaz Jung Bahadur - an Arab chief from Hadhramaut, Yemen.
Haleem takes 12 hours to cook. It stands to reason that minced meat and minced lentils are not exactly components that agree well with each other. And yet, all the ingredients just work. Maybe, that is why it takes 12 hours - to get the meat and the lentil to befriend each other.
Hyderabadis treat Haleem like a festival. All year long, people who do not ascribe to Islam, and could not even name the rules of Ramadan if they were questioned by someone, wait for the arrival of Haleem. And, as Ramadan begins, the Haleem stalls seemingly start popping out of thin air.
Sarvi, in Banjara Hills, serves some mean Haleem. No really, their attractive prices lure people into buying and gorging on so much Haleem that some patrons have been known to end up with a family of paunches, and probably diabetes as well, by the end of Ramadan. We call that mean.
A single plate of Haleem costs around Rs. 100 here, while a Special Haleem costs Rs. 130. The Family Pack is priced at Rs. 350, while the Special Family Pack comes at Rs. 450.
At
Basra Pride, Masab Tank, the cooks are adventurous enough to cook chicken Haleem, and thus, invite taunts from true-blue Haleem eaters who think that any meat that does not trot around on four legs has no business befriending the minced lentil, or being chummy with all that ghee. A single "normal" Haleem costs around Rs. 95 here, while the Family Pack comes at Rs. 270. A chicken Haleem, on the other hand, costs Rs. 70, and a Family Pack costs around Rs. 200.
The people at
Hyderabad House can sometimes be really generous. They give their Haleem with a side-dish of Lukhmi - which is basically a square-shaped samosa filled with meat - for Rs. 100. A large Haleem, accompanied by Lukhmi, costs some 200 bucks, while a Family Pack of Haleem, along with 4 Lukhmis, costs around Rs. 400.
At Cafe 555, Masab Tank, they believe in having a serving of Haleem for every occasion. Want to woo the love of your life? Here, why don't you two share a Couple Pack for Rs. 190? Want to celebrate your third supplementary-in-a-row with style? Here, have a Party Pack for Rs. 280. Want to treat your family for not having accidentally murdered you while you were a defenceless, drooling toddler? No worries, here's the Family Pack for Rs. 400.
Besides, there's the Jumbo Pack - which serves roughly 8 people (9, if someone is dieting) - for Rs. 700. The Special 555 Haleem comes at Rs. 180, whereas the Special 555 Family Pack is priced at Rs. 560. The Special 555 Jumbo Pack comes at a hefty Rs. 940, but it can sure feed a lot of people.
And in case you're bereft of company, get yourself a single plate of Haleem at Rs. 100, and proceed to snarf it down without any table manners. You're alone after all.
Other popular places that do smashing business during the month of Ramadan include
Paradise, which sells Haleem at Rs. 100, and
Cafe Bahar, which prices its Haleem at Rs. 80.
Haleem is proof that the Gods want us to indulge ourselves. Superman will take care of the rest.